A total of 499 Employers used the penalty waiver period from September to December 2018 to clear $3.25 million in contribution debt to the Fiji National Provident Fund.
Chief Executive Officer Jaoji Koroi said the Fund had activated the penalty waiver to enable employers to pay their outstanding debt, given that the non-payment of contributions affects members’ accounts.
The Fund was able to recover part of the debt through thorough investigation and compliance checks, which also resulted in some organizations clearing their dues from past years.
While the waiver has been used to assist in the recovery of member contributions, Mr. Koroi reminded employers of their obligations under the FNPF Act 2011.
During the penalty waiver period, 499 out of 1,594 employers either fully paid or partially paid their debts. The waiver expired on 31 December 2018. The remaining 1,095 employers will be subject to a penalty of $100 per employee per month as stipulated under Section 40 of the FNPF Act 2011.
The Fund also has authority to impose travel restrictions on defaulting employers and it can recover money from other third parties, as well. The Fund will also be publishing names of Employers who are regularly in breach of the Act.
To date, $9.05m in member contributions is owed to the Fund. This includes $4.75m from previous financial years and $4.3m for the period July 2018 – December 2018.
Meanwhile, the Fund is also aware of Employers who are not registered with the Fund and have not paid their employees monthly contributions.
These Employers are also breaching the FNPF Act and will be penalized accordingly.
Employees who work for these non-FNPF registered employers, are urged to report them to the Fund as this will also lead to recovery of contributions owed.
The Fund is encouraging employers to make use of the digital services available through the Employers E-Services Portal to assist them with their FNPF responsibilities.
“Employees or members are equally responsible for the payment of their contributions and must consistently check their pay slips and FNPF accounts to ensure their contributions are paid on time,” said Mr Koroi.
“Members are encouraged to use the FNPF digital platforms to view their accounts for regular updates.” “We are strengthening our compliance function to ensure we also capture un-registered employers and work is in progress to foster strategic alliances with important stakeholders to catch defaulters through sharing of
information.”
Employers who encounter difficulties with their contribution payments or the E-Services Portal, should call the Employer Portal Helpline on 323 8999 or email EmployerHelpline@fnpf.com.fj.